IMS9001 - Systems Analysis and Design

1. IMS9001 - Systems Analysis and Design Communication and documentation: Presentations

2. You've got something to say • to a defined audience • about a defined topic • with flexible formats • using audio-visual support tools

3. Use a presentation for • reporting an important event or milestone • sharing knowledge with your peers • responding to a request for information • gaining immediate feedback on a proposal • requesting approval • influencing the audience • demonstrating an operational feature

4. Presentation characteristics • person to person communication • high credibility • single purpose • relatively short duration • a once-only event • no permanent record

5. Presentation fundamentals • understand what your audience needs • address your presentation to those needs only • know your material • be well organised • speak up and keep eye contact • use only appropriate visual aids

6. Presentation fundamentals • avoid appearing nervous • preparation and organisation are essential • rehearse out loud and in the venue • always test equipment at the venue • believe that the audience wants to hear you

7. The venue is important • neutral ground, comfortable setting • no distractions • divert the phone • know the layout • where are the electricity points? • can you and the screen be seen? • can you move about without tripping over cords? • enough seats and table space?

8. Informative presentation • the audience is your project peers • internal to the project • most often technical in content • fact based • enquiry response • address the audience needs • many questions should be expected

9. Persuasive presentation • audience is peers and stakeholders (customers if you work in sales) • creating a mood rather than detailing facts • advocates change • you must identify the audience's "hot buttons" • i.e. need identification • you must be credible to succeed

10. Demonstration • the highest credibility presentation • therefore potentially the most risky • always intended to persuade, to prove a point • never deviate from your prepared show • never let the audience get the keyboard • always have backups • always test on site beforehand - Murphy's Law prevails here

11. Audience dynamics • what is the audience demographic? • know the danger zones and avoid them • judge their mood, which is related to their information need • do they trust you? • do you have the necessary status for credibility?

12. Delivery • extemporaneous speech • spontaneity • directness • flexibility • involvement • more effective with 30 than with 300

13. Questions • expect them • during or after the presentation - your choice • equally as important to your credibility as the presentation content • don't patronise the questioner • don't evade the answer • if you don't know, undertake to find out

14. Oral style • presentations are NOT spoken reports • personal pronouns • simple, short sentences • use rhetorical questions • repetition of words, sentences, ideas • familiar words that don't need a dictionary • conversational contractions • figurative speech - metaphors, similies, alliterations

15. Patterns of presentations • scientific problem solving • state a case and prove it • psychological progressive

16. Support for the words • printed handouts • static display graphics • overhead slides • 35mm slides • presentation display software (PowerPoint) • video, film, audio • artefact demonstration